Excavating machine



Jan. 10, 1967 M. K. REAR 3,296,718

EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed Oct 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV'ENTOR.

MELVI BY N K REAR ATTORNEYS Jan. 10, 1967 v M. K. REAR 3,296,718

EXCAVATING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1963 FIG? F568 H68 INVENTOR.

MELVIN K. REAR BY W) iE /gwgjL/u ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,295,718 EXCAVATHNG MACHINE Melvin K. Rear, Chesterland, Ghio, assignor to The Cleveland Trencher Company, Cleveland, @hio, a corporation of Ohio Fiied Oct. 22, 1953, Ser. No. 317,934 Claims. (Cl. 3791) This invention relates in general to excavating machines, and more particularly to novel bucket construction for an excavating machine.

Excavating or trenching machines of the type with which this invention is primarily concerned, are generally provided with a series of excavating buckets, secured together by laterally disposed chains, or attached to the periphery of an excavating wheel. The buckets generally have rooter teeth mounted on their leading edges, and are adapted to be forced into the earth or soil for scooping it up and moving it to a discharge station on the machine, where generally some mechanism, such as a conveyor, is adapted to receive the loads from the buckets, for discharging the excavated material to a side of or other location with respect to the excavation.

Each of the excavating buckets may conventionally be formed from an arcuate shaped member defining side and outer walls for the bucket, and may also be provided with a plurality of laterally spaced fingers or tines extending inwardly from adjacent the rear edge of the bucket, to form a semi-open back for the respective bucke. This arrangement of tined bucket back is conventionally used in clay or heavy types of soil, with the tines assisting in and generally being adequate for retaining a load of such soil in the respective bucket up to the discharge station. As is well known, these tines or fingers while aiding in retaining a load in the bucket, permit the bucket to pass a generally stationary arrangement of bucket cleaner member or members, which may project into the bucket for passing between the tines or fingers, and forcibly eject the load from the bucket. The tines or fingers are conventionally removably secured to the rear edge of the respective bucket by means of cast or forged socket members which are usually permanently attached, generally by welding to the arcuate rearward lip or edge of the respective bucket.

In United States Patent 2,338,616 issued January 4,

1944 to Albert R. Askue, there is disclosed a type of socket which is conventionally utilized for removably attaching fingers or tines to the rear edge of an arcuate bucket. However, because buckets are made in various widths for different sizes and types of digging units, and since the radius of curvature of the top wall of the bucket changes when the bucket is produced in various widths and types, the attachment of the prior art arrangement of finger socket to the rear edge of the bucket has produced many problems, since with different bucket curvatures, it is usually necessary to overweld and fill in considerable voids on the conventionally curved base of the tine socket, in an attempt to adequately secure the sockets to the respective bucket.

The present arrangement provide a multipart tine or finger socket, which can be economically formed from standard types of metal stock, such as for instance cylindrical bar stock, and which provides a stronger and more effective socket mounting for securing the fingers or tines on an excavating bucket, and yet a mounting wherein the tines may easily be perfectly aligned or disposed parallel with one another, for effective movement of a bucket cleaner between the tines, during the bucket cleaning operation on the digging unit.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a novel excavating bucket arrangement for an excavating machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a curved or arcuate type of excavating bucket having socket mounted fingers or tines forming a semi-open back for the bucket, and wherein the finger sockets are of multipart construction formed from standard bar stock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a curved or arcuate type of excavating bucket having socket mounted fingers or tines forming a semi-open back for the bucket, and wherein each of the tine sockets is of multi-part construction, and has means thereon whereby a good fit or engagement is provided between the socket and the bucket for different sizes of excavating buckets, and yet wherein the socket can be selectively and readily arranged so that the tines can extend in parallel relation with respect to one another.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel socket for mounting a back tine or finger on an excavating bucket.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, side elevational generally diagrammatic view of a wheel type excavating unit for a mobile excavating machine, and comprising semi-open back buckets, which semi-open backs are formed by a plurality of generally laterally spaced tines or fingers secured adjacent the rear edge of a respective bucket, and attached to the latter by the multi-part socket of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partially broken, elevational view of one of the buckets of FIG. 1, with the tines being illustrated in phantom lines;

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged view of the bucket of FIG. 2 taken from the right hand end thereof, and with the multi-part socket members being shown secured to the bucket and in condition for'receiving the tines, for forming the semi-open back of the bucket;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, elevational view of the base portion of the multi-part socket member of the invention, and showing the elliptical, diagonally extending, flat, end attaching surface on the base portion;

FIG. 5 is a further elevational view of the base portion of FIG. 4, taken from the right hand side thereof;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the FIGS. 4 and 5 base portion;

FIG. 7 i an enlarged, elevational view of the head portion of the multi-part socket member of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the FIG. 7 head portion;

FIG. 9 is a bottom 'plan view of the FIG. 7 head portion.

Referring now again to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 an arcuate portion of a well known type of mobile trenching machine digging wheel 9. Such a digging wheel is adapted to be mounted on a conventional trenching machine usually comprising a motor driven vehicle, having at one end a carriage which rotatably supports the power driven digging wheel 9. The digging wheel broadly, may comprise a pair of spaced annular ring portions 10, connected together by a series of buckets 12, attached to the rings as by means of fasteners 14. The buckets 12 may be of the well known generally arcuate configuration illustrated, comprising side wall portions 12a (FIG. 3) and a transversely extending bridging outer wall portion 12b, defining the depth of the respective bucket, and with the buckets preferably being provided 'with roter teeth 16 of conventional type, mounted on the leading edges thereof, for facilitating the digging operation by the buckets.

The rear edge of each bucket is provided with a plurality of laterally spaced fingers or tines 18 extending inwardly toward the rings 10 in parallel relationship to one another and forming a semi-open back for the in bucket. The tines 18 are preferably detachably secured to the respective bucket by means of socket members 20 with which the present invention is particularly concerned.

As aforementioned, in the past, tines or fingers 18 have conventionally been attached to a bucket by means of forged or cast socket members having arcuate surfaces thereon, as shown for instance in the aforementioned U.S. Patent No. 2,338,616, which permit coaction between the rearedge of an arcuate bucket and such arcuate socket surfaces, for positioning the bucket sockets along different sizes or arcuate configurations of buckets, while still providing for maintaining the axes of the sockets generally parallel to one another and to the sides of the bucket.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 to 9, in accordance with the instant invention the socket assemblies 20 may be conveniently formed from standard cylindrical bar metal stock such as for instance 1 /2" hard rolled 1020 steel bar stock. The sockets are of multi-part construction, each comprising a base portion 22 and a head portion 24, which is adapted for coaction with the base portion and to be permanently attached thereto, as by means of' welds 26, as will be hereinafter described in greater detail. In FIG. 2 of the drawings, the welds 26 have not been shown in the interests of better illustration of the socket construction.

The base portion 22 at one end thereof, defines an arcuate recess 28 therein (FIGS. and 6) and at the other end thereof, is provided with a planar surface 30 which is tipped at an angle of preferably 38 with respect to the horizontal, or with respect to the end surface 32 circumscribing recess 28. ,Surface 30 is of elliptical configuration with the major axis of the elipse along the imaginary line xx as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The head portion 24 of the'socket assembly is provided with a ball or generally hemispherical dome section 33 which is adapted for receipt in recess 28 in the base portion 22, for providing a universal or ball and socket joint for the socket assembly, and on the other end thereof is provided with a recess or chamber 34 extending into the head portion, for a considerable depth thereof, and including extension into dome section 33. Chamber 34 is adapted for receiving a respective tine member therein, and in this connection transverse openings at 36am provided through the head portion, which are adapted to receive, for instance, a conventional rolled pin. Each tine likewise has a transverse opening extending therethrough, and receives therethrough the aforementioned pin, and thus is held or retained in assembled relationship in the chamber 34. If it is ever necessary to replace the tine, the pin can be readily driven out and a new tine can be inserted in the chamber together with the pin for holding it therein.

In assembling the socket member'sltqthe buckets, the base portion 22 of each socket assembly'is' secured along the rear edge of the respective bucket in laterally spaced relationship to the other socket assemblies, and as shown best in FIGS. 2 and 3. During positioning of the base portion prior to its securement, it is rotated about its lengthwise axis a suflicient amount to insure a close proximity, or almost a flat metalto-metal coaction between the planar surface 39 on the base portion and the confronting generally arcuate surface 38 of the bucket wall 121;. Such base portions are then welded as at 39 to the wall 12b and because of this almost flat metalto-metal condition existing between the surface 30 and the confronting wall of the bucket, a very secure and strong joint is obtained.

Usually only a single fillet weld around the base portion at its engagement with wall 12b provides a suitable attachment of the base portion to the bucket. The head portion of each of the socket assemblies is then assembled with the respective base portion and with the ball section 33 disposed in the recess 28 in the base portion. Such head portions are then aligned so that their lengthwise axes are disposed in planes extending perfectly parallel with respect to one another, so that when the tines are inserted in the chambers 34 of the respective socket assembly, such tines will also be parallel extending, and generally parallel to walls 12a of the bucket. It will be seen that with such an arrangement, the direction of extension of the tines can be varied in planes extending generally parallel to the side walls 12a, so that the tines can extend or diverge in selected angular relation with respect to the rear edge of the bucket by mere movement or pivoting of the head portions 24-, while maintaining the axes of the head portions in such planes. It Will be noted however, that FIG. 2 of the drawings illustrates the axis of the head portion 24- aligned with the axis of the respective base portion 22, and this is the preferable relation between these parts.

After proper positioning of the head portion 24 with its respective base portion 22 so that the axes of the head portions extend parallel with one another, and as shown in FIG. 3, then fillet welds 26 are used to rigidly attach each head portion 24 to its respective base portion.

In this connection, it will be noted that the head portion 24 is provided with a sloping surface 40 extending or sloping inwardly and upwardly from the cylindrical outer surface 44 (FIG. 7) of the respective head portion, and merging with the ball or dome section 33. This facilitates the welding of the respective head portion to the respective base portion.

From the foregoing discussion and accompanying drawings it will be seen that the invention provides a novel and economical socket assembly arrangement for detachably securing tines to an excavating bucket and wherein such socket assembly can be used with a great many sizes of buckets without the need of providing custom made sockets for each respective size of bucket, and wherein such socket arrangement is so constructed and arranged so as to insure a parallel extension of the bucket tines with respect to one another and with respect to the side walls of the buckets.

The terms and expressions which have been used are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of any of the features shown or described, or portions thereof, and it is recognized that various modifications are possible Within the scope of the invention claimed.

I claim:

1. In an excavating bucket comprising, laterally spaced side walls and a bridging transverse outer wall, laterally spaced socket assemblies secured to said outer Wall and extending inwardly therefrom, each socket assembly being adapted to receive therein a tine for forming a semi-open back for the bucket, each socket assembly comprising a base portion secured to said outer wall and a head portion, said head portion having a cavity therein for receiving the tine, means coacting between said base and head portions for providing for adjustment of said head portion at an angle with respect to the longitudinal central axis to the base portion, and means locking said head portion in said angularly adjusted position with respect to the base portion.

2. An excavating bucket in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said socket assemblies is formed of cylindrical metal bar stock and wherein one end surface of said base portion is of planar configuration with such last mentioned surface being disposed obliquely with respect to the lengthwise axis of the respective socket assembly.

3. A socket assembly formed from generally cylindrical stock and adapted for attachment to an excavating bucket, said socket assembly comprising a plurality of parts including a base portion adapted for attachment to a bucket and a head portion adapted for attachment to the base portion, and a universal joint coacting between said c3 portions for adjustment of said head portion with respect to said base portion, said head portion having a recess in the distal end thereof adapted to receive a tine for forming a semi-open back for the excavating bucket, and the proximate end of said base portion which is adapted for attachment to a bucket comprising a generally planar surface disposed obliquely with respect to the lengthwise axis of said recess.

4. A socket assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said head portion comprises means adjacent said joint for facilitating the attachment of said head portion to said base portion.

5. A socket assembly in accordance with claim 3 including means on said head portion for detachably connecting a tine to said head portion.

6. A socket assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said universal joint comprises a hemispherical boss on said head portion and a complementary cavity in said base portion receiving the boss therein.

7. A socket assembly in accordance with claim 6 wherein said head portion outwardly from said boss is of a greater diameter than the maximum diameter of the boss, and an oblique surface connecting the exterior of said greater diameter section with said boss.

8. An endless bucket equipped digging unit for a mobile excavating machine, said digging unit comprising laterally spaced support means on Which are mounted a plurality of spaced buckets, each of said buckets comprising side walls extending outwardly from the support means and a bridging transverse outer wall defining the depth of the respective bucket, a plurality of laterally spaced socket assemblies disposed along the rear edge of each of the buckets and extending inwardly therefrom toward the support means, each of said socket assemblies comprising a plurality of parts including a base portion attached to the respective bucket and a head portion, said head portion having a recess therein with the lengthwise axis of the recess extending parallel to said side walls, a tine disposed in the recess, the tines forming a semi-open back for the respective bucket, a universal joint disposed be tween the head and base portions, and Weld means at taching the base and head portions together into a rigid integral unit.

9. A digging unit in accordance with claim 8 wherein each base portion has a generally planar surface disposed obliquely with respect to the lengthwise axis of the respective socket assembly and oriented into proximate surface-to-surface engagement with the confronting surface of said bucket outer wall.

10. In an endless bucket equipped digging unit for mo bile excavating machines, said digging unit comprising laterally spaced support means on which are mounted a plurality of spaced buckets, each of said buckets com prising side Walls projecting outwardly from said support means in generally parallel relationship and a bridging transverse outer Wall defining the depth of the respective bucket, said outer Wall being of arcuate configuration in end elevation, a plurality of laterally spaced socket assemblies secured to said outer wall and extending inwardly in the direction of the support means, each of said socket assembiies comprising a base portion formed from cylindrical metal stock and secured to the outer wall by welds and a head portion formed from cylindrical metal stock and secured to the base portion by welds, said head portion having a recess in the distal end thereof receiving therein an associated tine for providing a semi-open back for the respective bucket, the other end of each of said head portions having a dome-shaped boss thereon and be ing received in a complementary socket in the respective base portion to form a universal joint, each base portion comprising a generally planar surface disposed obliquely with respect to the lengthwise axis of the respective socket assembly and defining an elliptical configuration, the base portion being rotated a predetermined amount before being attached to said outer wall by the first mentioned welds, for providing proximate surface-to-surface engagement between the elliptical end surface of each base portion and the confronting arcuate surface of said outer wall, said head portion being adjusted with respect to the respective base portion by means of said universal joint so as to dispose the lengthwise axes of said head portions in planes extending parallel to one another and gen erally parallel to said side walls, prior to application of the second mentioned welds.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,338,616 1/1944 Askue 37-91 2,443,460 6/1948 Kelsey 3791 3,037,305 6/1962 Penote 3791 3,049,824 8/1962 Mclninch 37191 3,206,878 9/1965 Penote et al. 279l ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM A. SMITH III, Examiner. 

1. IN AN EXCAVATING BUCKET COMPRISING, LATERALLY SPACED SIDE WALLS AND A BRIDGING TRANSVERSE OUTER WALL, LATERALLY SPACED SOCKET ASSEMBLIES SECURED TO SAID OUTER WALL AND EXTENDING INWARDLY THEREFROM, EACH SOCKET ASSEMBLY BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THEREIN A TIME FOR FORMING A SEMI-OPEN BACK FOR THE BUCKET, EACH SOCKET ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A BASE PORTION SECURED TO SAID OUTER WALL AND A HEAD PORTION, SAID HEAD PORTION HAVING A CAVITY THEREIN FOR RECEIVING THE TINE, MEANS COACTING BETWEEN SAID BASE AND HEAD PORTIONS FOR PROVIDING FOR ADJUSTMENT OF SAID HEAD PORTION AT AN ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO THE LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL AXIS TO THE BASE PORTION, AND MEANS LOCKING SAID HEAD PORTION IN SAID ANGULARLY ADJUSTED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO THE BASE PORTION. 